Tuesday, 29 October 2013

My Mums Birthday and Halloween

Hi Everybody,

October is usually a very tough month for me and I must be honest I haven't celebrated Halloween at all in the last few years. All I did was celebrate my Mums Birthday to honour her. Autumn reminds me so much of being back home and spending a lot of time with my family. Going for long walks in the park and starting to spend more time indoors.

Back home in Austria, Halloween was never really celebrated. I think it only came to Austria about 12 years ago, and even then it was not celebrated like here (UK) or in the USA. I remember we used to go for walks in the evenings and eating Goulash and drinking the first mulled wine of the year. We even carved Pumpkins with the smaller Kids and put them up in my Aunties garden.

On the 31st October we have a "special day" in Austria. If you go the bank to empty your piggy bank that day you'll get a free gift ;) I am not sure exactly why on that day and who came up with it. I just remember doing this every year. It's actually very cute when you go with Kids. They are loving it. We start putting money into the piggy bank the very next day and then it's always a very big surprise when you go and put your money into the machine and they tell you how much you saved since last year. Every child knows about this day and the whole of October is basically just about this. Primary school teachers talk about it and sometimes even people from the bank come to school and you can bank your money there on that day. I don't know if every school does that but I remember mine did it every year. It's a great tradition. I love it when the kids get all there piggy banks together and get all excited while their money is being counted. Great memories! And the best thing.... the next day is always a Bankholiday!;)

The 31st October is also my Mums Birthday. Unfortunately I cannot spend and celebrate this day with her any more as she passed away in February 2011. I since almost hate this day. As it's such a big date you get reminded everywhere of it. As soon as the summer is over everything is full of Halloween stuff and that I associate with my Mum and it makes me really sad and miss her even more. It's very hard to explain how you feel. But I will not get into this too much. I just want to say that she was a great person and I wish I could show her what I have achieved. All my friends are amazing and keep supporting me in any way they can. They even went to church with me in February for her death day anniversary. I must say that was a really bad experience for all of us, as I did not choose a nice one. So unfortunately I think this is something they won't do for me any more.

This year on the 31st I will be teaching both of my classes and am not planning on going out to celebrate this time. But I am excited to teach my classes and then celebrate Halloween on the 2nd November with a few of my friends, we'll be dressed up and spend the night in a bar dancing and drinking. It's going to be my first proper Halloween party.

My outfit only just arrived today and I am so so excited to get dressed up :) Not going to say as what yet. I'd rather show you in my next post.